---
title: "Field/Solutions Engineer"
slug: "field-solutions-engineer"
description: "Deploy and support VAST clusters: data reduction, installation, licensing, Uplink, client tuning, FIO benchmarks, upgrades, CNode replacement, and FCOs."
updated: 2026-11-06T19:10:20Z
published: 2026-11-06T19:10:20Z
canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/field-solutions-engineer"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vastdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Field/Solutions Engineer

A field or solution engineer helps customers design, deploy, and get value from the VAST AI OS. They size solutions and explain data reduction during pre-sales, install the software and run initial configuration on new clusters, apply licenses, and register clusters with Uplink. After deployment, they tune clients and benchmark performance to prove results, guide customers through upgrades, and handle hardware replacements and field change orders with VAST Support.

## Common Field/Solution Engineer Tasks

- [Explain data reduction](/docs-5-5/docs/data-reduction): Understand how VAST reduces data-to-size solutions and set customer expectations.
- [Install the VAST software](/docs-5-5/docs/software-installation-guide): Follow the installation guide to bring up a new cluster.
- [Complete the quick start configuration](/docs-5-5/docs/quick-start-configuration-guide): Set up the essentials so the customer can start using the cluster.
- [Install a license](/docs-5-5/docs/installing-a-license): Apply the customer's license to the cluster.
- [Register the cluster with Uplink](/docs-5-5/docs/registering-the-cluster-with-uplink): Connect the cluster to VAST Uplink for fleet visibility.
- [Optimize Linux clients](/kb/docs/linux-optimization-for-modern-clients): Tune customer client hosts for the best performance with VAST.
- [Benchmark with FIO](/kb/docs/how-to-benchmark-vast-data-with-fio): Run FIO tests to measure and demonstrate cluster performance.
- [Upgrade a VAST cluster](/docs-5-5/docs/upgrading-your-vast-cluster): Plan and run software upgrades for customers.
- [Replace a CNode](/docs-5-5/docs/replacing-a-cnode): Swap out a failed compute node.